suricate (English)
Where does "suricate" come from?
The English word 'suricate' is a direct borrowing from the French term of the same name. Its roots trace back to an earlier form, 'surikate,' which was originally adopted from a South African language to identify the mammal now commonly known as the meerkat.
Full etymology tree
- suricate (English), 'The meerkat, a member of the mongoose family.'
- borrowed suricate (French), 'meerkat (mammal)'
- inherited surikate (French)
- borrowed unknown South African language (South African indigenous languages)
- inherited surikate (French)
- borrowed suricate (French), 'meerkat (mammal)'
Direct ancestors
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris